• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

Recently, we have reported that the environmental pollutant 2-bromopropane (2-BP) induces a significant embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats. However, the cause of developmental toxicity and the relationship between maternal and developmental toxicities could not be elucidated because the developmental toxicity of 2-BP was observed only in the presence of maternal toxicity The in vitro teratogenicity study using whole embryo culture was carried out to understand the teratogenic properties and the possible mechanism of teratogenicity induced by 2-BP in rats. Rat embryos aged 9.5 days were cultured in vitro for 48 hrs at medium concentrations of 0, 1, 3, or 10 mg/ml of 2-BP. Embryos were evaluated for growth, differentiation, and morphological alterations at the end of the culture period. At 10 mg/ml, 2-BP caused a delay in the growth and differentiation of embryos and an increase in the incidence of morphological alterations, including altered yolk sac circulation, abnormal axial rotation, craniofacial hypoplasia, open neuropore, absent optic vesicle and kinked somites. At 3 mg/ml, only a delay in the growth and differentiation of embryos was observed. There were no adverse effects on embryonic growth and development at the concentration of 1 mg/ml. The results showed that the exposure of 2-BP to rat embryos results in a developmental delay and morphological alterations at dose levels of 3 mg/ml culture media or higher and that 2-BP can induce a direct developmental toxicity in rat embryos.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1117-1123
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• 2009

This study investigated the effects of IGF-I and EGF on the development of blastocysts or hatched blastocysts during the in vitro culture of embryos from immature porcine oocytes. After the in vitro maturation and fertilization of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and their culture in vitro in PZM3 medium, we examined the embryo development rate for 168 h. When different concentrations of IGF-I (0, 1, 10, 20 ng/ml) were supplemented to fertilized porcine embryos in vitro, there were no significant differences in cleavage rate, blastocyst development rate or blastocyst hatching rate among the treated groups. On the other hand, when different concentrations of EGF (0, 1, 10, 20 ng/ml) were supplemented to the in vitro culture medium, blastocyst development rate was highest in the group in which EGF was not supplemented and, specifically, it was higher than in the 20 ng/ml treatment group (p<0.05). When 10 ng/ml IGF-I and 1 ng/ml EGF were supplemented separately or simultaneously, there were no significant differences among the treated groups in blastocyst hatching rate and the number of cells in each condition. This study demonstrated that the addition of IGF-I and EGF into PZM3 medium did not enhance development of the blastocyst stage and total cell number in blastocysts.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.394-400
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• 1998

Cryopreservation of embryos by vitrification is a simple method to preserve bovine embryos for subsequent embryo transfer, but embryonic viability after vitrification has been inconsistent and low compared with conventional slow freezing. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of serum or serum albumin in a vitrification solution and epidermal growth factor(EGF) or fibroblast growth factor(FGF) on in vitro viability of bovine blastocysts frozen by vitrification. Bovine blastocysts were produced by in vitro maturation, fertilization of follicular oocytes and culture of embryos in a synthetic oviduct fluid medium(SOFM) containing BSA and 19 essential and nonessential amino acids. Blastocysts with excellent or good morphology were selected at 7 or 8 days after culture and utilized for vitrification. In experiment 1, blastocysts were vitrified in a solution containing semi-fetal calf serum(SFCS) or BSA(5 or 10mg/ml) and then their subsequent viabilities were examined by culturing thawed embryos in a SOFM containing BSA and 19 amino acids. Effect of EGF or FGF added to a SOFM containing polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) on the viability of vitrified-thawed blastocysts was investigated in experiment 2. BSA added at 5 or 10mg/ml to a vitrification solution showed significantly higher(p < 0.05) developmental rate to expanded and hatching blastocysts than SFCS, but there was no significant difference in the developmental rate to hatched blastocysts after thawing. Supplementation of a culture medium with EGF and/or FGF significantly increased(p < 0.05) embryo development to expanded blastocysts compared with control but showed no beneficial effect on the development to hatching or hatched blastocysts. Coculture of thawed embryos with granulosa cells in a TCM 199 containing 10% fetal calf serum(FCS) showed the highest developmental rate to expanded, hatching and hatched blastocysts among the groups tested. In conclusion, supplementation of a vitrification solution with BSA at 5mg/ml and culture of thawed blastocysts in a medium containing EGF and/or FGF can improve in vitro viability of bovine blastocysts frozen by vitrification.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2000

the present study was carried out to develop a completely defined culture system and determine if high NaCl concentrations in defined (PVA added) or semi-defined (BSA added) medium is toxic to bovine embryos. Oocytes from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured and fertilized in vitro. After 30 h of insemination, only 2-cell stage embryos were selected and cultured for this experiment. The culture media used were as follows : TLP(114 mM of NaCl) + BSA (3 mg/ml), TLP + PVA (1 mg/ml), mTLP(96 mM of NaCl) + BSA, mTLP + PVA. Six to ten embryos were placed into a 30$\mu$1 drop of each medium and the embryos were examined at 10 day post-insemination without medium renewal. The experiment was replicated 4 times. All data were analyzed by chi-square. There were no significant differences among TLP-BSA, mTLP-BSA and mTLP-PVA in blastocyst development (21.6, 17.2 and 20.2%), respectively. Also, no differences were obtained in hatching rates (11.7, 9.9 and 12.2%), respecitively. However, there were significant differences between TLP-PVA (1.7% and 0.6%) and other group in blastocyst formation and hatching rates, respectively (p<0.01). Development of in vitro produced embryos cultured in BSA containing medium was not affected by high NaCl concentration, but in the completely defined medium, embryonic development was highly affected by NaCl. This study shows that reduced NaCl concentration in completely defined medium is beneficial for development of bovine pre-implantation embryos in vitro.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1994

This experiment was investigated the effect of presence of granulosa cells from follicles of different size on bovine oocyte maturation, cleavage and development to late stage. The nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes in the IVM-IVF system are critical for subsequent embryo development. Granulosa cells when the co-cultured with oocytes may interact with cumulus-oocytes complexes and influence the development competence of the oocytes. Granulosa cells from medium (2~6 mm) and large(>1O mm) size follicles were recovered by aspiration, washed 3 times by centrifugation at 500 x g for 5 min. and used for co-culture at a concentration of 2~3 x 106 cells/mi. The oocytes were matured in vitro (IVM) for 24 hrs. in TCM-199 supplemented with 35 $\mu$g/ml FSH, 10 $\mu$g/ml LH, 1 $\mu$g/ml estradiol-17$\beta$ and granulosa cells at 39$^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ in air. They were fertilized in vitro (IVF) by epididymal spermatozoa treated with heparin for 24 hrs., and then the zygotes were co-cultured in vitro (I VC) with bovine oviductal epithelial cells for 7 to 9 days. The assessment of maturation revealed that Grade J oocytes showed significantly(P

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.243-250
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• 2009

In the present study, a simple one medium formulation protocol for callus culture, somatic embryogenesis and in vitro production of ${\beta}-carboline$ alkaloids and diosgenin in Tribulus terrestris L. was developed. Extensive callus induction and proliferation was obtained in leaf explant on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with $5.0{\mu}M$ 6 benzyl adenine (BA) and $2.5{\mu}M$ ${\alpha}-naphthaleneacetic$ acid (NAA). The embryogenic callus was maintained on subculture to fresh parental medium at 4-week intervals over a period of 28 months. The frequency of embryo formation was at a maximum ($18.1{\pm}0.9$ per g of callus) on MS medium containing $5.0{\mu}M$ BA and $2.5{\mu}M$ NAA together with $75mg\;1^{-1}$ casein hydrolysate. Globular embryo developed into torpedo stage embryo under the influence of starvation. The accumulation of ${\beta}-carboline$ alkaloids (harmaline and harmine) and steroidal saponin (diosgenin) in non-embryogenic and embryogenic callus culture derived from leaf explant was compared with root, leaf, stem, and fruit of the mother plant. The embryogenic callus accumulated equivalent amounts of harmaline ($66.4{\pm}0.5{\mu}g/g$ dry weight), harmine ($82.7{\pm}0.6{\mu}g/g$ dry weight), and diosgenin ($170.7{\pm}1.0{\mu}g/g$ dry weight) to that of the fruit of T. terrestris. The embryogenic callus culture of this species might offer a potential source for production of important pharmaceuticals.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

The aim of the present study was to assess the embryo development and survivability of post-thawed bovine embryos produced in vitro by addition of cysteine. The rates of metaphase II formation were not differed significantly among three groups(TCM199 73.8%, TCM199 with 0.3% cysteine 76.9%, TCM199 with 0.5% cysteine 83.8%, respectively). No difference of cleavage rate(70.6~74.6%) was seen among three culture medium(TCM199 70.6%, CR1aa 71.3%, SOF 74.6%) with 0.5M cysteine. however, Significantly(P<0.05) higher development rate into blastocyst stage by 0.5M cysteine addition was obtained in SOF medium(35.6%) than in TCM199(27.6%) or CR1aa(26.6%), however no significant differences in the cleavage rates were among three culture medium. After frozen the blastocysts cultured with 0.5M cysteine, The re-expansion rates were 61.3%~86.4% among groups, and hatching rates were 26.3%~46.9% among groups, the rates of re-expansion and hatching were significantly(P<0.05) higher in SOF medium(86.4% and 46.9%) than those in TCM199(61.3% and 26.3%) and CR1aa medium(87.1 and 44.4%). After thawing, the blastocyst re-expansion rate was significantly(P<0.05) higher in in vivo (87.1%) and in vitro (70.3%) embryos. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that supplementation of IVM and IVC medium with 0.5M cysteine improved the quality of in vitro production embryo and post- thawed embryo. Future studies comparing these media systems in well-designed trials should be performed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1681-1690
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a reported p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-${\alpha}$ (PFT-${\alpha}$), on preimplantation porcine in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryo development in culture. Treatment of PFT-${\alpha}$ was administered at both early (0 to 48 hpi), and later stages (48 to 168 hpi) of preimplantation development, and its impact upon the expression of five genes related to apoptosis (p53, bak, bcl-xL, p66Shc and caspase3), was assessed in resulting d 7 blastocysts, using real-time quantitative PCR. Total cell numbers, along with the number of apoptotic nuclei, as detected by the in situ cell death detection assay, were also calculated on d 7 in treated and non-treated control embryos. The results indicate that PFT-${\alpha}$, when administered at both early and later stages of porcine IVF embryo development, increases the incidence of apoptosis in resulting blastocysts. When administered at early cleavage stages, PFT-${\alpha}$ treatment was shown to reduce the developmental competence of porcine IVF embryos, as well as reducing the quality of resulting blastocysts in terms of overall cell numbers. In contrast, at later stages, PFT-${\alpha}$ administration resulted in marginally increased blastocyst development rates amongst treated embryos, but did not affect cell numbers. However, PFT-${\alpha}$ treatment induced apoptosis and apoptotic related gene expression, in all treated embryos, irrespective of the timing of treatment. Our results indicate that PFT-${\alpha}$ may severely compromise the developmental potential of porcine IVF embryos, and is a potent apoptotic agent when placed into porcine embryo culture media. Thus, caution should be exercised when using PFT-${\alpha}$ as a specific inhibitor of p53 mediated apoptosis, in the context of porcine IVF embryo culture systems.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 1997

This study was carried out to determine the effect of bovine follicular fluid(bFF), hormones, and fetal bovine serum(FBS) supplemented in the medium on the in vitro fertilization and development of bovine embryos. The ovaries were obtained from a local abattoir and placed in physiological saline kept at 30~32˚C and brought to the laboratory within 3~4 hours. The oocytes and follicular fluid were collected by aspiration from visible follicles, and the oocytes of grades I on the basis of the morphology of cumulus cells attached and the homogeneity of cytoplasmic granules were selected and used for maturation. The basal media used for oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryo development in vitro were Ham' F-10, TALP and TCM-199, respectively. The hormones supplemented in maturation medium were consisted of 35 pg /ml FSH, 10 pg /ml LH and 1 pg/mi estradiol-l7$\beta$. The bFF collected from 5~9 mm follicles was centrifuged, filtered and inactivated by heat-treatment at 56˚C for 30 min. FBS also was inactivated with the same method and kept at -20˚C until use. The embryos were co-cultured with the monolayer of bovine oviductal epithelial cells at 39˚C under 5% $CO_2$ in air for 9 days. The results obtained were summarized as follows: The fertilization rate of oocytes was found 87.4% from 10% FBS and hormones treatment for IVM, and 37.1% of these TVF embryos were developed to blastocyst stage in 10% FBS groups. Compared with this control system, the fertilization rate was decreased significantly(P<0.05) in the maturation without either FBS or hormones. These IVF embryos were developed to morula stage at the similar rate, but to blastocyst at significantly(P<0.05) lower rate in the embryo culture with or without FBS supplementation. The fertilization rate(82.9%) in hormones and 10% inactivated bFF was similar with 10% FBS and hormone groups(87.4%), but decreased significantly(P<0.05) in 20 or 30% bFF (61.0 or 66.0%), respectively. In vitro developmental competence to blastocyst stage in 10% FBS and 20% inactivated bFF(37.1% and 31.4%) was higher than in 10 or 30% inactivated bFF(20.0 or 19.2%) or 10, 20 and 30% fresh bFF(19.1, 21.0 and 17.5%) The results indicated that the in vitro fertillzation and development rate of the embryos should be improved in 10% FBS or 20% inactivated culture system and 20% inactivated bFF might be available economically for bovine oocyte maturation and embryo culture instead of fetal bovine serum.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2003

These studies were carried out to establish an effective in vitro embryo transfer methods by analyzing several factors. The base media were TCM-199 solution for in vitro maturation(IVM) of bovine follicular oocytes and Fer-TALP solution for in vitro fertilization(IVF) and CRlaa medium for in vitro culture(IVC). IVC used the fertilized oocytes of 24-hr culture (day 1)after IVF. Embryos were cultured in drop-culture that contained 25 embryos per 10${mu}ell$. Blastocysts cultured for 7 to 9 in vitro were transferred to recipients. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The pregnancy rate according to different region of embryo transfer were 33.8％, 48.1％, 45.0％ and 35.3％ respectively. 2. The pregnancy rate according to the parity of recipient when embryos were transferred to nulliparous (42.9％) was higher than that of 1∼3nd parlous(36.9％), however there were not show significant difference each other. 3. According to the stage of blastocyst, the pregnancy rate when middle blastocysts (MB) (45.5％) were transferred to recipients were higher than that of late blastocysts (LB) (41.0％). 4. When IVF-derived blastocysts cultured for 7 to 9 day were transferred to recipients, the pregnancy rate was higher 7 day of blastocyst than that of 8 day or 9 day of blastocyst. The results of embryo transfer according to the regions, the parity of recipient and the development stage showed that blastocyst formed for 7day transferred to nulliparou were higher pregnancy rate than others.